B.B.C. STILL EUROPE'S LISTENING POST

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5304, 17 January 1947, Page 3

B.B.C. STILL EUROPE'S LISTENING POST

22 languages used PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES FUTURE BRGADCASTING The reeent Parliamentary debate ou tbe new licenee for tbe British Broadcasting Corporation continues in pubiic a debate always in progress in British minds, writes Phyliis Bentiey from I.ondon. On the one hand, the ordinary British listener dc-es not like tbe idca of a monopoly; on tbe other, be cannot but be proud of tbe achievements of the B.B.C., nor can he avoid pereeiving that some of tbese achievements are due direetly to the special character and status of the Corporation. In Yorkshire this argument has received a fresb impetus by tbe appointment of Lord Inman as cbairman, for Lord Inman began his working life selling newspapers in tbe streets of his native Yorkshire town, and it is Yorkshire's way to take prido in speaking- its mind bluntly to its eminent eitizens — the more eminent they are, tbe more blunt Yorkshire beeomes, until and unless tbe citizen in question is attacked by eitizens of another county. We may look, therefore, during the next few years for some specially kard hitting on botb sides of the controversy in this county. Mr. Herbert Morrison, Lord President c-f the Council, winding-up the debate for the Government, stressed the constitutional independence of the B.B.C. ; it had, he said, no obli-g-ation to do what the Government •wanted and the Government had no ohligation to defend it. Nevertheless, naturally enough perhaps, be was drawn into some remarks in defence of non-competitive broadcasting. On the practical side, he said it was useless to demand extensive competitive broadcasting in Britain, because there were no wave-lengths available for competing stations; wbile the continuation of the three national programmes at present brcadeast (Home, Light and Third) and the Regional programmes (North, Midland, Western, Scotti^h, b'orth of Ireland) surely gave sufncient varietv, sufficient competition. Listeners who oppose this view i'eel, among other objections, that the provisic-n of radio material cannot attraet the best writers and composers while a single rejection makes the material useless. Facts and Figures But just while the listener is growling on these lines about the merits of the competitive broadcasting systerns of other countries, he is. brought up short by some facts and statistics in the B.B.C.'s just published annual report. "The most striking post-war development" in the' B.B.C. work, he reads, is "the new demand for B.B.C. material from nearly every country in Europe." This was confirmed in ihe Ilouse ' of Commons by Mr. \V . A. Butke, the assistant Postmaster- . ; Geueral, who stated that in Europe alono the B.B.C. 'is broadcasting d7 progrnmme-hours a dav in 22 languages. Thg Government was satistied. continued Mr. Burke, that the overseas broadcasts were widelv appreciated. Ii other countries like the B.R.C. material so much, reflects the British listener, perhaps it can't be ini'crior to the competitive material. after all. He remembers the superb cr.ntrihmion of the Corporation to the wai- cliort, Vi.hen the sound of Big Ben on the wiroless was the signal of hope across the world; he remembers that London is still the only place in the world where there is a regular daily television service available to the pubiic seven days a week. He perhaps remembersy too — he Avill assuredly do so if he is a teacher or has young children — the fine schools programmes which come on the air between two and three o'clock in the afternbon. As oue who has written some "dramatic interludes" for tliese programmes, and listened to many others, I can testiiy to the high standard of accuracy demanded by the B.B.C. and the truly comprehensiva vision of those who plan these series. Need for Independence The debate in Parliament did not follow party lines. Crities of all shades of political opinion stressed the need for B.B.C. independence, deplored its monopoly,. suggeste'd broadcasting competition hetvreen different corporations which shoulcl all be "chartered," and urged -he B.B.C. to be more lively, more topical, more eontroversial, less "anaemic." The interesting fact emerged that two million people listen every night to the report of proceedings in Parliament, though it is broadcast at the depressing hour of 10.45 to 1 1 p.m. Suggestions that there should be "live" broadcasts of Parliament were amusingly disposed of by Mr Morrison, who hinted that he wanted to remain able to niake a Parliamentary joke when he liked. On the whole, British listeners agree that ifc is well for the B.B.C. to have its licence renewed for five years on the same terms, before its charter is reconsidered, to g'ive it time to discover its problems under peacetime conditions. But at the end of the five years the investigation •will be thorough. The many competent and serious radio critics writing regularly in the newspapers and weeldies lceep* the British pubiic awake to all the problems, achievements and defects of their broadcasting corporation, and alert to discuss and amend the service of which on the whole they are justly proud. Lord Inman, who a mcnth or two ago, before his appointment, urged the members of an audience he was addressing to send a postcard to the B.B.C. whenever they heard anything they disapproved, is likely to have a large post-bag. t ■ ' >■' ■ -. ■ , ' >rr- • —W"' - ■■■ ■■■'.